Cycling-skirt



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. VOORHIS.

(No Model.)

CYCLING SKIRT.

No. 584,909 Patented June 22,1897.

WITNESSES: C4 W wz mums vzfzns co PNDTOLITHO. msumcron. n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet 2.

E. VOORHIS. CYCLING SKIRT/ ,90 Patented June 22,1897.

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WITNESSES:

NiTEn STATES ELIZA VOORHIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

CYCLING-SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,909, dated June 22, 1897.

Application filed September 9, 1896. $erial No. 605,285. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZA VooRHIs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cycling-Skirts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in cycling-skirts for female bicyclists, and of the class designated as convertible skirts, the object of the invention being to provide an article of this character which combines the essential features of a walking, riding, and bloomer costume, thegarment being so constructed as to be readily adaptable for conversion into any of these said shapes which a user may arbitrarily select while the garment is being'worn and without the necessity of removing the same from the body.

The garment is simple in construction and inexpensive, and when used as a walkingskirt it does not differ in appearance from an ordinary garment of this character, as it can be out after any desired prevailing style or pattern.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the anneXed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved skirt, showing the rear portion of the lower edge of the skirt folded over to illustrate the interior construction thereof. Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of a belt or strap adapted for use in combination with my skirt, and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views illustrating the appearance of the garment when adjusted to a person. In these views the several shapes that the garment is capable of taking are clearly illustrated.

I11 the practice of my invention I provide, primarily, a full skirt A, the said skirt being preferably a gored skirt and having its back breadth B slightly gathered at its point of intersection with the waistband O, the placket c of the skirt being located slightly to one side, whereby the skirt will not accidentally open at the back.

Depending from the waistband, C at each side thereof and preferably upon the seams connecting the side breadths D to the front breadth E, are straps F, which said straps have buttonholes f upon their lower ends adapted for engagement with buttons 1 and 2, these said buttons being located, respectively, upon the side seams and upon the side breadths D of the garment. Secured also to the waistband O, at a point directly at the center of the upper edge of the front breadth B, are two eyes 3, which are adapted for engagement with hooks 4, located upon the end of a girdle or strap G, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Secured around the inner lower edge of each side of the skirt are casings H, and through these casings the drawing-strings I are passed, and these said strings have rings 2' upon the ends thereof for the purpose of manipulating them.

Located across the front inner surface of the lower edge of the skirt is a strip or flap J, which has a plurality of buttonholes j therein and a button j on the center inner surface thereof, and located upon the inner surface of the rear edge of the skirt is a similar strip K, which has buttons thereon for engagement with the buttonholes j of the strip J.

In the operation of the invention when it is used asa walking-skirt, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, it is obvious that all the operative portions located upon the inner surface of the skirt are hidden from View, whereby the general appearance of an ordinary skirt is maintained.

When it is desired to loop up the side of the skirt to shorten the same for convenience in riding a wheel, the straps F are disengaged from the buttons 1 and brought into engagement with the buttons 2, whereby the result illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings is procostume, the belt G is removed from the waist and the hooks 4 thereof are brought into engagement with the eyes 3 of the waistband O. The flaps or strips J and K are then buttoned to each other and the skirt is raised to a desired height. The drawing-strings are then tightened and tied around the legs, after which the end of the strap G is passed under the skirt to the rear thereof and drawn upwardly and buttoned to the button j and to the button 5, which is located approximately in the center of the rear breadth B, whereby the bloomer costume (illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings) is produced, and it is obvious that the garment can be reconverted into a walking-skirt at the option of a wearer by removing the strap G, loosening the drawingstrings, and disengaging the flaps K and J from each other. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A convertible garment, comprising a skirt having two drawin g-strin gs, one secured to the inner lower edge of each side breadth thereof, strips secured respectively to the inner lower edges of the front and rear breadths thereof, the strip secured to the front breadth being provided with buttonholes and a button and the strip secured to the rear breadth provided with buttons adapted for connecting said breadths, a belt provided with means for engaging fastening devices located on thefront, bottom and rear of the skirt and adapted to hold the skirt in elevated position, said button at the bottom of the front breadth adapted to engage with the belt G, substantially as shown and described.

2. A skirt provided with a waistband having means for the attachment of a belt thereto, straps depending from the waistband at each side thereof, buttons upon the skirt for engagement with said straps, a belt adapted to be worn over the waistband and provided with means for attachment to the waistband, the bottom portion and rear breadth of the skirt, drawing-strings located in casings secured to the inner surface of each lower edge of the side breadths thereof, the rear breadths provided with means for engaging the complemental means on said belt, and strips secured respectively to the inner surface of the front and backlower edges of the front and rear breadths thereof, one of these said strips being supplied with a plurality of buttonholes and a button for engagement with the belt, and the other with a plurality of buttons, whereby the said strips may be connected to each other, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a garment, comprising a skirt having drawing-strings secured to the lower edges of the sides thereof, and strips secured to the lower front and back edges thereof, one of said strips being supplied with a plurality of buttons and the otherwith a plurality of buttonholes registering therewith, whereby they are attached to each other, the combination therewith of a belt adapted to be suspended from the front of the waistband by one end, secured to the back of the rear breadth of the garment at the other end and to the bottom of the skirt, whereby a bloomer costume is produced, and means for securing the said belt in position for holding the skirt in elevated position, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 4th day of September, 1896.

ELIZA VOORIIIS.

\Vitnesses:

O. SEDGWICK, B. McCoMB. 

